Goal Setting and 15 Minute Priorities – 4 Week Frugal Challenge

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Last week I challenged you to set some goals and devote at least 15-20 minutes daily towards those goals.  Like the rice jar, if you wait until the end of the day, you’ll give up because it’s too hard to fit it in.  But if you devote time to working on your goals early in the day you’ll find you still have plenty of time for all the other things you want to accomplish.

You may be wondering why I chose this as the first frugal challenge for the year.  It’s because without a foundation of getting our goals met and getting into a routine of setting aside (and using) the time for extra things we won’t be successful at any frugal projects we set out to accomplish.  My pastor says “What you are today is a result of the choices you made in your past.”  And likewise, “What you will be tomorrow will be the result of the choices you make today”  It takes 21 days to create a habit and 21 days to create a lifelong behavior, but only 3 days to break a habit.  I’d say it’s pretty important to start with goal setting!

My big goals for this year are:

  • Exercise – while my body may be trim, I am not healthy.  I easily get out of breath and don’t have the strength that I once did.
  • Family – too often I tell my kids that I don’t have time to play a game, when I actually spent my work time playing computer games or chatting on Facebook.  I need to spend time with my kids first, then play if I choose to not do my work.
  • Reading – Once upon a time I was  bookworm.  I won the class reading contests nearly ever year, and the community library contests as well.  Now I rarely find the time to crack open a book.  It’s my goal to read more, even if only 15 mins a day :-)
  • Income – While my husband’s salary is sufficient to meet all of our needs, I’d like to be able to contribute more to paying off our mortgages early.  I’m trying to sell more unneeded items as well as bring in more side income with my work
  • Home – I am no housekeeper, but I do want to have a more welcoming house for my family and guests.  Again, I just have to make it a point to devote a little bit of time to it.
  • Sleep – I tend to stay up until 1 or 2 most nights and then when I get up with the kids between 6 and 7 I’m cranky and irritable.  My shortness causes them to be irritable as well and it’s a downward cycle of frustration.  Right now it’s my goal to turn the lights out by midnight, and hopefully I can make it earlier as I get into a routine of reading at bedtime too.

This last week went pretty well.  I’ve made progress on each of my goals, although some more than others.  I feel like I’m making choices that keep my goals in focus better than I was a month ago.  Next week I’ll share with you another visual trick I’m using to help  me stay focused.

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